Ep 50: A True Story of Heroism in Nazi-Occupied Paris

The heroic story of Suzanne Spaak, who risked everything and gave her life to save hundreds of Jewish children from deportation from Nazi-occupied Paris to Auschwitz is one of many untold stories of the Holocaust. This week’s episode of Just the Right Book welcomes author Anne Nelson who tells Spaak’s story in her latest book, Suzanne’s Children: A Daring Rescue in Nazi Paris.

The Yale University alum consults with many of the leading US foundations including Gates, Rockefeller, and Carnegie on international media conflict and human rights, was a war correspondent in Latin America and reported from Eastern Europe and Asia for the New YorkTimes, LATimes, BBC, NPR, and PBS.

Nelson has now set her considerable wide-ranging skills on a story of extraordinary courage in the face of evil. She has resurrected from obscurity the life of Suzanne Spaak, a wealthy Brussels-born woman who used her prominent status in Nazi-occupied Paris to rescue, shelter, and support Jewish children that were orphaned or left behind after their parents were deported to the concentration camps of Europe. Roxanne says, “In Miss Nelson’s hand this story of courage is a page-turner filled with fascinating detailed research on the state of terror that existed in Nazi-occupied Paris, the espionage, and the extraordinary bravery of some and the astounding complicity with evil of many.”

Also in this episode, some fantastic book recommendations from co-founder and president of The Book Report Network, Carol Fitzgerald.

Next week, Roxanne will be speaking with Matthew Weiner, the creator of the AMC hit drama series Mad Men and the author of the soon-to-be released book, Heather the Totality. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Matthew, please write to us at [email protected], our Facebook page or Tweet us!

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